Ballast plow for use under railroad tracks



July 25, 1961 N. c. PEPF'IN BALLAST PLOW FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKSFiled Jan. 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 25, 1961 c, PEPPIN 2,993,451

BALLAST PLOW FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS July 25, 1961 N. c. PEPPlNBALLAST PLOW FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS Filed Jan. 6, 1959 4Sheets-Sheet 5 July 25, 1961 N. c. PEPPlN BALLAST PLOW FOR use: UNDERRAILROAD TRACKS Filed Jan. 6, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /w/ N k m mv 51 wIII N a Eli M mm H mill! om i x 1- 0 I N m m lllh lN No o IH L w & lIIHE: W @W h M 111 H O mm 8 w J7 N \m\ P 0w mm r A 5 mm mm 0% an UnitedStates Patent 2,993,451 BALLAST PLOW FOR USE UNDER RAILROAD TRACKS NealC. Peppin, Delano, Minn., assignor to Mannix Co. Ltd., Calgary, Alberta,Canada Filed Jan. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 785,225 1 Claim. (Cl. '1047) Thisinvention relates to under-track devices of the socalled ballast plowtype.

Ballast plows are employed for removing fouled ballast from a railroadroadbed. A ballast plow is inserted between the roadbed and the ties towhich the track rails are secured and is then towed along the track inthis position by a locomotive. As the plow progresses, it raises theties from the roadbed ahead of it, supports the ties and the railssecured thereto, as the device passes underneath, and finally allows thetracks to settle back onto the roadbed or sub-grade behind the device.The weight of the ties and rails supported by the plow is considerable,the plow is therefore pressed firmly down against the ballast. Byproviding the plow with one or more scraper blades, it is possible toseparate a layer of ballast and displace this ballast to the sides ofthe track beyond the ends of the ties so that this displaced ballast canbe readily removed when the ties resettle.

In a ballast plow designed for use on single track, the blades arearranged to displace the ballast to both sides of the track. On theother hand, a ballast plow for use on double track will require to havethe blade arrangement such that the ballast will all be displaced tothat side of the track being plowed which is remote from the adjacenttrack. Otherwise, some of the ballast would be deflected onto theadjacent track or too close to the adjacent track to facilitate itsconvenient subsequent removal.

Reference may be made to L. B. Franco and I. C. Stein US. patentapplication No. 460,789, filed October 7, 1954, for examples of ballastplows suitable for use on both double and single tracks.

The present invention is directed towards improvements in ballast plowsgenerally and particularly to improvements in the double track type ofplow, that is a plow which displaces all the ballast to one side of thetrack.

Double track is especially prone to become tilted during use. The reasonfor this is that the ballast that tends to be displaced away from eachtrack by the passage of trains can move more readily towards the outsideof the double track than towards the space between the tracks. Betweenthe tracks the ballast may be built up level with the ballast underlyingeach track, or there may be a drainage ditch. Such a ditch tends,however, to become filled with debris and with ballast deflected fromeach track. The tendency thus is for there to be less difference oflevel between each track and the space between the tracks than betweeneach track and the area on the outward side of each track, that is theside remote from the other track. This tendency is usually accentuatedby the drainage ditches provided on both sides of the double track. Theresult of this effect is for each track to lose more ballast from itsoutside edge than from its inside edge with consequent outward tiltingof each track. When such outwardly tilted track is plowed, the plow willtend to run with a similar tilt to the horizontal so that no correctionof the tilt is efiected.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a ballastplow capable of running without transverse tilt under a track that istilted. This requires that the ends of the plow blades nearer theoutside edge of the track should take a shallower out than the ends ofthe blades at the inside edge. In other words the blades, or

Patented July 25, 1961 at least the rearmost blade which will be set totake the deepest out should extend across the plow with its lower edgeextending horizontally, notwithstanding the natural lie of the ballast.

The invention may be defined as a ballast plow for removing ballast fromthe surface of a railroad roadbed, comprising a generally flat frameworkconstructed for drawing along between the roadbed and the ties whilesupporting the weight of said ties and a span of track, blade meansprojecting downwardly from the undersur face of said framework, a pairof shoe devices each including a horizontally extending plate, meansmounting said shoe devices on said framework for vertical movementrelative thereto in positions rearward of said blade means with a saidshoe device on each side of the frontto-rear center line of the plow,the path of movement of each said shoe device including a position inwhich the plate of said device projects below the lowermost edge of saidblade means, and control means for adjusting and maintaining thevertical position of each said shoe device relative to said framework.

The chief application of the present invention will be to double trackplows, for the reasons explained above;

the invention may, however, be used with single track plows which aresometimes called upon to plow tilted track.

The various features of the invention will become apparent from theappended claim and from consideration of the under-track deviceillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings. Because ofthe particular utility of the invention with double track plows, such aplow has been chosen to exemplify the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of a section of double track demonstratingthe manner of use of a ballast plow modified according to the presentinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the plow shown alone on a larger scale;

FIGURE 4 is a side view of the plow seen from the lower edge of FIGURE3;

FIGURE 5 is an underside plan view of the plow seen in FIGURES 3 and 4;

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of the plow on an enlarged scale seen in thedirection VI-VI in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a further enlarged fragmentary view taken on the lineVII-VII in FIGURE 3 and showing a shoe device in a first position;

FIGURE 8 is similar to FIGURE 7 showing the shoe device in a secondposition; and

FIGURE 9 is a section on IX-IX in FIGURE 4.

FIGURES l and 2 demonstrate the manner in which the ballast plow 10 istowed by cables 11 from a towing bar 12 connected by further cables 13to a mounting 14 which is slidable on a transverse bar 15 secured to therear of a flat car 16. Control over the transverse movement of themounting 14 along the bar 15 is effected by means of a screw-threadedrod 17 controlled by handle 18. The purpose of this transverselyslidable mounting is to be able to move the towing bar 12 to one side orother of the track to compensate for curvature of the track to avoid theplow 10 tending to cut the corner on a curve.

This assembly is towed along track 23 by means of a locomotive 19. Theplow 10 is being employed to skeletonize or plow out the track.Initially, in front of the plow 10 the ties 20 are resting on a layer ofballast 21 which in turn rests on the sub-grade 22. The advancing plow10 slides along the sub-grade 22, raises the track 23 in advance ofitself, and plows the ballast 21 out to the side of the track 23 whichis remote from the neighboring track 24. Rearwardly of the plow thetrack 23 settles back onto the sub-grade 22. i

3 V I Also shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 is a liner device 25 of the typedescribed in detail in United States patent application No. 650,111 ofI. W. Christolf, filed April 2, 1957. This liner 25 is towed behind theplow by means of a cable 26 connected to the mounting 14 for thispurpose. Alternative positions for securing the forward end of the cable26 are the centre of the towing bar 12 or a suitable point at the rearof the plow 10.

As the track 23 settles back onto the sub-grade 22, the liner 25effectively interconnects the inside rail 27 of the track 23 with theinside rail 28 of the adjacent track 24 just in advance of the positionwhere the ties of the elevated track 23 settle back down onto thesub-grade 22. In this manner any tendency on the part of track 23 tobecome misaligned in relation to track 24 is prevented, track 24providing a firm datum from which to line up track 23.

For details of structure of the ballast plow 10, attention is directedtowards FIGURES 3 to 8. Referring firstly to FIGURES 3 to 6, the plow 10will be seen to consist of a structure of rigid construction comprisinga main plate 33 of steel, to the underside of which there are securedfive curved steel moleboards 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38. These moleboards arecurved in cross-section and extend rearwardly and parallel to oneanother towards the side edge 39 of the plate 33 from various pointsacross the plate 33, the moleboard 34 extending only a quarter of thedistance across the plow, the moleboard 35 extending half the distanceacross the plow, the moleboard 36 extending three-quarters of thedistance across the plow, and the moleboards 37 and 38 each extendingthe full distance across the plow from one edge 40 to the other edge 39.A plurality of struts 41 extend between the undersurface of the mainplate 33 and the rear surfaces of the moleboards 34, 35, 36, 37 and 38to aid the rigidity of the structure.

Each moleboard serves to mount a scraper blade 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48respectively. Each such blade is mounted on its supporting moleboard bymeans of a number of bolt and nut assemblies 42 that pass through holesin the blades and slots in the moleboards. By this means each blade canbe adjusted in position relative to its moleboard to vary the cuttingangle of the blade and, to some extent, to vary the cutting depth of theblade.

Wing members 75, 76, 77 and 78 are provided at the side 39 of the plowto act as extensions of the plow blades. These wing members fit intoslotted cavities at the rearward end of each blade and project forvarying distances outwardly of the plow.

Projecting forwardly of the leading edge 50 of the plate 33 are beams 51and 52, the respective lower flanges 53 and 54 of which serve to definethe leading under-running surfaces of the plow 10. The beams 51 and 52taper towards their front ends and serve to support the leading ends ofa pair of spaced upper runners 55 and 56 which extend the full length ofthe plow from front to rear to engage the undersurfaces of the ties 20.

Conventional towing ears 57 and 58 are secured to the forward side edgesof the plow 10, such ears having holes 59 and 60 for receiving shackleson the ends of the towing cables 11.

The plate 33 is provided with weep holes 61 in the usual manner,although these holes may be omitted, part-icularly those towards thefront of the plow. Note that no weep holes have been provided in advanceof blades 44 and 45.

On each side, at the rear, the plow is provided with a keel. At the sideedge 40, there is a depending plate 62 extending the full length of theplow and a keel 63 is bolted to the rear end of this plate 62 by bolts64. The provision of a number of bolt holes in the plate 62 and theupper part of the keel 63 permits adjustment of the degree of projectionof keel 63 downwardly from the lower edge of the rearmost blade 48. Onthe other side of the plow, at the edge 39, a similar keel 65 isprovided which takes the form of a horizontal lower plate portion terpminating at each end in a pair of upstanding legs 66 (see particularlyFIGURE 4), which legs 66 are each clamped between a pair of plates 67,being secured thereto by means of bolts 68. In this manner the keel 65,which is vertically adjustable in a manner similar to the keel 63,effectively straddles the moleboard 38 and its attached blade 48 topermit free access to the side of the device for the ballast deflectedby this blade.

Two keels are also shown at the forward end of the plow depending fromthe beams 51 and 52. An enlarged sectional view of this structure isshown in FIGURE 9. Portions of the members 51 and 52 are cut away andplates 70 are positioned to bridge the gap thus formed in each of themembers 51 and 52, such plates 70 thus defining a cavity into which akeel member 71 is inserted and secured by bolts 72.

At the extreme rear of the plow, there is provided a pair of verticallyadjustable shoe devices 80. One such device is shown in detail in FIGURE7 and will be seen to consist of a main flat generally horizontal plate81 having a slightly turned up forward edge 82, to the centre of whichplate is secured the flange 83 of a T-beam, the web 84 of which T-beamprojects vertically upwardly and serves as a means for pivotallymounting the shoe plate 81 on the end of a downwardly projecting arm 85secured to a plate 86 which in turn is firmly secured to the undersideof the main plate 33 of the plow rearwardly of the moleboard 38. At itsother end, the web 84 is pivotally connected to a link 87 which ispivotally mounted on the end of a piston 88 of an hydraulicallyoperated, double-acting cylinder 89 the closed end of which is connectedby bracket 90 to the plate 86. Pivotally connected to the link 87 is oneend of a further link 91, the other end of the link 91 being pivotallyconnected to the plate 86. Each of the shoe plates 81 is fitted with apair of transversely extending stiifening members 94,

FIGURE 7 shows the piston 88 in its withdrawn position and the shoedevice 80 correspondingly in raised position. When the piston 88 isforced to its extended position, as shown in FIGURE 8, links 87 and 91are moved rearwardly and into more vertical dispositions to pushdownwardly the rearward edge of the shoe plate 81. In this position therearward edge of the plate 81 projects below the lowermost edge of therearmost blade .48 which is in fact the lowermost edge of the wholeblade assembly, since the rearmost blade will project downwardly themost of all the blades. The limit of this downward travel of the shoedevice is defined by stop 92 against which link 91 abuts. Excess upwardmovement of the shoe plate 81 under pressure from the track ballast isprevented by stop 101.

FIGURES 7 and 8 show the left-hand shoe device 80. The right-hand shoedevice is similarly constructed, although on this side the plate 86 issomewhat longer, since it projects back from a more forward part of themoleboard 38. Additionally, a strengthening strut 93 is provided toassist in the rigid positioning of the rearward part of the plate 86.The left-hand shoe device 80 has its leading edge sloped back at 100 toavoid contact with the moleboard 38, while the right-hand device 80 isrectangular.

Each cylinder 89 is fed through a pair of fluid lines 95 and 96 from arespective manually operable control cylinder 97 mounted on platform 98that is fixed to the plow outboard of the edge 39. An upstanding barrierplate 99 extends along this edge 39 to afford protection to thesecontrol cylinders 97 from contact with the end of a tie.

As previously stated, the plow of the present invention is especiallyadapted for correcting the track tilt that is commonly experienced ondouble track. The lower edge of the rearmost blade 48 can be maintainedhorizontal, or at any desired inclination (on curves, an inclination maybe required, but not necessarily the inclination at which the presentballast is lying), by vertical adjustment of the shoe devices 80relative to each other. Usually with the plow being used to correct anoutward tilt of the track, at the same time as plowing, the left-handshoe device 80 will be lowered and the right-hand shoe device 80 will beraised, so that the lower left-hand shoe device holds up the left-handside of the rear of the sled against its natural inclination to adopt alower level than the right-hand side of the sled by reason of the tiltof the bed of ballast being worked. The structure of the plow, althoughgenerally rigid, is sufiiciently flexible to permit some twisting underthe large forces that the plow experiences in operation, and the shoedevice will normally only determine the inclination of the rearmostblade, and perhaps to a lesser extent the next rearmost blade. The frontof the plow will normally be comparatively unaffected by the shoedevices 80.

The extent of depression of each of the shoe devices 80 can be variedimmediately and readily while the plow is operating by an operator whowalks alongside the track within reach of manual control cylinders 97.

I claim:

A ballast plow for removing ballast from the surface of a railroadroadbed, comprising a generally flat framework constructed for drawingalong between the roadbed and the ties while supporting the weight ofsaid ties and a span of track, blade means projecting downwardly fromthe undersurface of said framework, a pair of shoe devices eachincluding a horizontally extending plate, means mounting said shoedevices on said framework for vertical movement relative thereto inpositions rearward of said blade means with a said shoe device on eachside of the front-to-rear center line of the plow, the path of movementof each said shoe device including a position in which the plate of saiddevice projects below the lowermost edge of said blade means, andcontrol means for adjusting and maintaining the vertical position ofeach said shoe device relative to said framework.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,329,543 Northon Feb. 3, 1920 2,725,016 Fogelberg et al. Nov. 29, 19552,769,172 Franco Oct. 30, 1956 2,921,390 Stien et a1 J an, 19, 1960

